ESTA School

What ESTA School does

ESTA (École Supérieure des Technologies et des Affaires), founded in 1986 in Belfort, France, is a private non-profit higher education institution operating under EESPIG status that delivers a 'double competence' curriculum combining engineering/technology with business/commercial skills. The school serves approximately 400 students across three intake tracks (Post-Bac Grande École, Post-Bac+2, and the 2024-launched Bachelor Bac+3), awarding two state-VISA-recognized diplomas — the Ingénieur d'Affaires Industrielles (Bac+5) and the Bachelor Commerce, Techniques et Innovation (Bac+3). Students accumulate nearly two years of professional experience through five mandatory company placements, including a mandatory international semester supported by a network of 14 Erasmus+ partner institutions across Europe and the Middle East/North Africa.

The business model is tuition-driven (annual subscription per enrollment dossier, amounts not publicly disclosed), supplemented by the French apprenticeship tax (taxe d'apprentissage), continuing-education programs for corporate clients, and European research funding (H2020, Erasmus+, Interreg). Distribution is anchored by the Parcoursup national admissions platform for the Bac-level cohort, direct online application for Bac+2/+3 entrants, and experiential touchpoints (open days, immersion days, the CXI Challenge innovation competition, and presence at events such as the Salon du Bourget). Revenue-relevant industrial partnerships — with Alstom, General Electric, Liebherr, Lisi Automotive, Clemessy, Segula, and others — supply placement capacity and applied-research contracts.

An 11-person research team (9 PhD associate professors plus 4 PhD students) is affiliated with four UBFC laboratories (ELLIADD, FEMTO-ST, CRJFC, LIMA) and produces Q1/Q2 publications, two granted patents (mixing mandrel, linear guidance device), and proprietary research tools (SEO-ELP e-learning platform, CAWIS decision-support system). The school holds governance roles in the European Academic Association of Sales Engineering (AASE) and maintains 1,300+ alumni, with 92-98% graduate placement within six months of diploma.

Name

ESTA School

Legal name

École Supérieure des Technologies et des Affaires (ESTA)

Website

https://esta-groupe.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ESTA (École Supérieure des Technologies et des Affaires) is a French non-profit engineering school in Belfort, founded 1986, training ~400 students in dual-competency engineering and business programs (Bac+3 to Bac+5), funded through tuition, apprenticeship tax, research grants, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfort

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition fees: ESTA generates revenue through annual tuition fees charged to enrolled students. Fees are set per academic year as specified in the enrollment or re-enrollment dossier, with payment schedules defined by ESTA. The fees do not include CVEC (Contribution Vie Étudiante et de Campus) or school supplies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ESTA School (École Supérieure des Technologies et des Affaires) is a private French higher education institution in Belfort that delivers dual-competency degree programs combining engineering/technology with business/commercial training. Its portfolio includes the five-year Parcours Grande École (Bac+5 Ingénieur d'Affaires Industrielles), the Bachelor Commerce, Techniques et Innovation (Bac+3, VISA-certified), a three-year Post-Bac+2 pathway, a two-year Post-Bac+3 pathway, and a Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience (VAE) track, supported by research projects, continuing education, and student-led competitions.

Product overview

ESTA School (École Supérieure des Technologies et des Affaires) is a French higher education institution offering a portfolio of degree programs centered on 'double competence' training that combines engineering/technology with business/commercial skills. The core educational offerings include the five-year Grande École program (Post-Bac entry), the Bachelor Commerce, Techniques et Innovation (Bac+3 with CEFDG VISA), the three-year Post-Bac+2 pathway, and the two-year Post-Bac+3 program, all culminating in the flagship Diplôme Ingénieur d'Affaires Industrielles (Bac+5 with state VISA). Supporting educational services include VAE for experienced professionals, continuing education for corporate clients, and experiential programs like the CXI Challenge innovation competition and ESTA Intercultural Marketing Week. Research-driven tools such as the SEO-ELP e-learning platform and CAWIS decision-support system extend the school's intellectual contributions beyond traditional degree programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parcours Grande École (Post-Bac) Five-year integrated program starting after high school, combining technical and commercial education with over 22 months of internships, including one mandatory international semester. Culminates in the state-recognized Bac+5 Ingénieur d'Affaires Industrielles diploma.
• Bachelor Commerce, Techniques et Innovation (Bac+3) Two-year Bachelor program (Bac+3, niveau 6) providing double competence in commerce, technology, and innovation, with VISA certification from CEFDG (Commission d'Évaluation des Formations et Diplômes de Gestion) and a 4-month international internship.
• Parcours Post-Bac+2 Three-year program for students with a Bac+2 technical background (DUT, BTS), including 14+ months of internships, international exposure, and culminating in the Ingénieur d'Affaires Industrielles diploma.
• Parcours Post-Bac+3 Two-year program for students holding a Bac+3, featuring 4-month international internship and alternation options for the final year.
• Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience (VAE) Experience-based validation program allowing professionals to obtain a degree through their professional experience.
• Formation continue (Continuing Education) Professional development and corporate training programs including 'Piloter la souveraineté économique et industrielle de l'entreprise' (Managing Industrial and Economic Sovereignty), targeted at industrial companies.
• CXI Challenge (Customer Xperience Innovation Challenge) Annual 48-hour student competition where BAC+5 students develop innovative solutions to real customer experience transformation challenges from partner companies.
• ESTA Intercultural Marketing Week Annual week-long international event bringing together students from ESTA and European universities to explore intercultural marketing topics, eligible for Erasmus+ Blended Mobility scholarship and 3 ECTS credits.
• SEO-ELP (Search Engine Optimization E-Learning Platform) An online training platform developed by ESTA researchers for teaching web referencing (SEO) skills, featuring educational scenarios and gamification elements.
• CAWIS (Computer Aided Web Information Sharing) A decision-support tool enabling webmasters to optimally reference and culturalize their websites, developed since 2013 with annual feature enhancements.
• Mandrin de malaxage (Mixing Mandrel) - Patent Patent n° 17 52860 granted on 20/12/2019 by Daniel Schlegel for a mixing mandrel device used in manufacturing processes.
• Dispositif de guidage linéaire (Linear Guidance Device) - Patent Patent n° FR3141222 (A1) granted in April 2024 by Daniel Schlegel et al., related to a linear guidance device for industrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92-98% of graduates are hired within 6 months of diploma
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Interreg France-SuissecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026ESTA leads the UX ARC NEXUS Interreg project (FEDER-funded) accompanying industrial SMEs in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc region in integrating User Experience into their products. Partners: UTBM, Haute École Arc (Switzerland), Raccoon SARL (Switzerland), Rollomatic (Switzerland). Budget: €555,300. Duration: January 2026 to June 2027.
• SegulacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Two research contracts with Segula: (1) Design, development and testing integration of fuel cells (€9,000, Sept-Dec 2025); (2) Evaluation of fuel cell plate quality (€6,000, April-Dec 2025). ESTA provides testing, expertise, and recommendations on fuel cell components.
• European Commission (Erasmus+)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023ESTA coordinates the SCABEE project (Erasmus+) - Sustainable teaching CAse studies for Business & Engineering Education. Partners include University College Nordjyllan (Denmark), Fachhochschule Vorarlberg (Austria), and Silesia University of Technology (Poland). Budget: €400,000. Duration: September 2023 to August 2026.
• European Commission (H2020)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019ESTA participates in PAsCAL project (H2020), an international initiative to develop a public acceptance map for higher-level Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV). Budget: €3,974,041.25. Project duration: June 2019 - May 2022.
• Alstom / Avions MauboussincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Alérion project for prototyping and commercializing an innovative wood-composite aircraft with hybrid propulsion. Partners include Avions Mauboussin, ENAC, ISAE Supaéro, UTBM, ELISA, INSA. Budget: €1M. Funded by PIA3 regionalized Burgundy-Franche-Comté. Daniel Schlegel (ESTA) is the ESTA referent.
• AASE (Academic Association of Sales Engineering)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014European association promoting the Sales Engineering profession and education. ESTA has been a member since its founding in 2014. Thomas Röhr served as Vice-President of Education (2014-2019), President (2019-2022), and is currently Vice-President Funding. AASE encourages cooperation between member institutions and initiates research projects.
• ELLIADD Laboratory (EA 4661) - ERCOS Research Team, UBFCcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012Research laboratory affiliation for ESTA researchers. Provides academic research infrastructure and doctoral supervision. Multiple ESTA faculty members are associated with this lab.
• FEMTO-ST Laboratory (UMR 6174)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012Research laboratory affiliation for ESTA researchers specializing in electrical engineering. Amel Benmouna is associated with FEMTO-ST.
• CRJFC (EA 3225)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012Research laboratory affiliation for ESTA researchers. Chloé Wiedmann (law doctoral student) is associated with CRJFC.
• LIMA (UMR 7042)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012Research laboratory affiliation for ESTA researchers. Sarah Alavi is associated with LIMA (UMR 7042).
• TH AschaffenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree and exchange partnership with TH Aschaffenburg (Germany). Students can spend one semester or a full academic year, obtaining both the local Engineering Bachelor's degree and the ESTA diploma. 5 student places available per year.
• University of Applied Sciences Turku (TUAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull academic exchange year enabling students to obtain both the local Engineering Bachelor's degree and the ESTA diploma through a double degree agreement. Partnership also active in research collaboration (RADICAL project).
• Haute Ecole de Gestion Arc (HEG-ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss partner institution for exchange and research collaboration. Active in the Interreg France-Suisse UX ARC NEXUS project.
• Ruhr-University BochumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany), Sales Engineering and Product Management (SEPM) program. 2 student exchange places available.
• Politehnica University of TimisoaraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with Politehnica University of Timisoara (Romania).
• University of PetrosaniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with University of Petrosani (Romania).
• ESSCA BudapestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with ESSCA Budapest (Hungary). 10 student places available per year.
• LUM (Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with LUM (Italy). 6 student places available per year.
• USEK (Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with USEK (Lebanon) offering exchange opportunities. ESTA offers scholarships for incoming students from this partner institution.
• ISG TunisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ISG Tunis (Tunisia) for PhD exchange. ESTA offers scholarships for incoming students from this partner.
• Campus 02minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with Campus 02 (Austria). 4 student places available per year.
• ISLA SantaremminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with ISLA Santarem (Portugal).
• HOGENTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with HOGENT (Belgium).
• MIT Institute TunisiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange partnership with MIT Institute Tunisia.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IESEG School of Management: French business school with explicit double-competency positioning combining management and digital/technology programs. Targets similar post-bac candidates seeking business-education careers with technical literacy, and competes for the same industrial employer hiring pool.
• ESSCA School of Management: French business school with multi-campus (including Budapest) presence offering programs that bridge management and technology. Direct Erasmus+ partner of ESTA, but also competes for similar candidates and overlapping B2B sales/business development roles.
• Polytech Network: Network of French public engineering schools offering engineering degrees with business/management specialization tracks. Direct competitor for Bac+2 entrants transitioning into engineering-business curricula and competing for the same industrial placement partners.
• UTBM (Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard): Public engineering university located in the same Belfort/Montbéliard area as ESTA, with comparable engineering-business programs and shared industrial partner network (Alstom, GE). Shares both regional employer relationships and student recruitment geography with ESTA.

Broad incumbents

• ESCP Business School: Top-tier French Grande École de Commerce with strong European multi-campus footprint and significant industry partnerships. While not a direct head-to-head competitor, ESCP's industry specializations and B2B/sales talent pipeline overlap with ESTA's value proposition at the high end of the market.
• INSA (Institut National des Sciences Appliquées): Network of seven French public engineering 'Grandes Écoles' offering dual competency programs in engineering and business/management. Larger scale and broader portfolio than ESTA, but competes for the same scientific-bac applicants and overlapping industrial placement partners.
• KEDGE Business School: Large French business school formed from merger of Euromed and Bordeaux Ecole de Management, offering programs that combine business education with industry specialization. Competes with ESTA in the engineering-business hybrid space but at a significantly larger scale.
• Arts et Métiers ParisTech (ENSAM): Major French engineering school with multiple campuses and dual competency tracks combining mechanical/industrial engineering with management. Operates at significantly larger scale than ESTA but serves overlapping industrial sectors and competes for similar graduate employer demand.

Emerging players

• ECE Paris (Engineering School): French private engineering school offering programs in digital, energy, and sustainable development with business modules. Smaller scale than ESTA but targets similar post-bac+2 entrants seeking engineering-business hybrid curricula in the private higher education segment.
• ESIEE Paris: French engineering school offering programs in information technology, embedded systems, and industrial engineering with management components. Comparable size and private-school positioning to ESTA, with overlapping industrial employer relationships in the Paris region.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ESTABelfort90
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/ecole-sup%C3%A9rieure-des-technologies-et-des-affaires

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESTA School